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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26352871">Worse Than Death</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneCrazedUpDragon/pseuds/OneCrazedUpDragon'>OneCrazedUpDragon</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons), Trollhunters - Daniel Kraus &amp; Guillermo del Toro</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:00:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>995</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26352871</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneCrazedUpDragon/pseuds/OneCrazedUpDragon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What if the scar Angor Rot gave Jim was permanent? How will he deal with the constant reminder that he's marked for a fate worse than death?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jim Lake Jr./Claire Nuñez</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Worse Than Death</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>How You Doing Insane Gang!</p><p>I know, I know my last one-shot wasn't that strong and I really want to focus on Jim x Claire pairing in this one.</p><p>Takes place after Jim gets marked by Angor Rot.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>I'm afraid Master Jim is marked by a fate far worse than death.</em>
</p><p>Thank God his mom is gone all weekend on call. He wouldn't know how to explain this to her.</p><p>They went straight to Vendel after Angor Rot left. The side of his face wouldn't stop hurting.</p><p>Jim sat on a rock hard bed, his friends were beside him waiting for Vendel's prognosis.</p><p>The old troll held Jim's head in his hands, his finger gently traced the yellow lines. As soon as he touched it however Jim hissed in pain.</p><p>"Hmm..."</p><p>"Jim okay?" Argh asked.</p><p>Jim sighed. "Yeah, it just burns."</p><p>"There appears to be no actual scarring, skin is smooth but I'm afraid there is no getting rid of it Trollhunter." Vendel replied grimly.</p><p>Jim gazed at the troll bewildered. "Wait!" "My face is stuck like this?"</p><p>"There isn't a way for it to disappear?" Blinky asked, ignoring Jim for the time being.</p><p>Vendel turned away to busy himself on something else. "You know as well as I do Blinkus what this mark entails."</p><p>Blinky sighed and wrung out his hands.</p><p>"What does this entail?" "How do we get rid of it?" Claire asked.</p><p>Jim picked himself off the table and thumbed his amulet. "It means I'm stuck with this forever."</p><p>Blinky flinched. "Not necessarily..."</p><p>"So there is a cure?" Toby hoped.</p><p>Blinky sucked in a breath. "Either Angor Rot kills you or you kill Angor Rot."</p><p>Jim through his hands in the air. "Great how do I kill a thousand year old troll assassin that works for Stickler who I can't even touch."</p><p>Claire placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, trying to cool him down in his rant.</p><p>"What about school Jimbo?" Toby brought up.</p><p>He groaned. What was he going to do about school, he would look like a freak walking around with this on half of his face.</p><p>"Don't worry Master Jim, we will think of something," Blinky exclaimed confidently.</p><p>Jim didn't acknowledge the optimism in his voice.</p><p>"I'm just going home. I need a nap, that fight drained me."</p><p>The others looked on with saddened expressions.</p><p>"Come on Argh, we got work to do."Blinky told his friend. Argh folllowed Blinky into his library to try to help Jim's situation.</p><p>Toby and Claire headed home for themselves each trying to brainstorm ways to help.</p><p>Jim started at his bathroom mirror. His blue jacket was off, only to be replaced by a white t shirt. The burning sensation stopped awhile ago but the yellow lines remained. He was getting</p><p>The burning sensation stopped awhile ago but the yellow lines remained. He was getting desperate, he tried to scrub it off with soap and water, his mom's different facial treatments, nothing has worked so far.</p><p>His phone rang, breaking him out of his stupor. The caller ID read Claire.</p><p>"Hey."</p><p>She cut straight to the chase. "I think I have an idea on how to cover the scar."</p><p>Jim's eyebrows rose. "What?" "Really?"</p><p>Claire hummed in confirmation. "Come to my house."</p><p>Jim wasted no time in hanging up and traveling to Claire's. He scaled the house up to her room with ease. Jim doesn't bother going through the front door anymore; he knows that her parents hate him and wouldn't let him inside their house even if he tried.</p><p>Her window was already open like she was expecting him to arrive.</p><p>"I'm here, what is it that might help me?'</p><p>"Hold on, I just need to find it." Claire said as she dug into her drawers.</p><p>Jim decided to lounge on her bed while she searched through her room.</p><p>She gave a cry of triumph and held it high in her hand.</p><p>Jim squinted at the object. "Is that makeup?"</p><p>"Foundation, actually, but I hardly wear it and I think you and I are about the same skin tone."</p><p>Claire took a seat next to him and held the product next to his face.</p><p>"I guess I have to wear makeup for the rest of my life then?" Jim tried to joke.</p><p>She could tell the humor didn't reach his eyes. Sighing, she placed her hand on his scarred half.</p><p>"Oh Jim.."</p><p>Jim placed his hand on top of hers, grasping it.</p><p>"I know deep down that I wasn't going to get away from the job free of harm but this...people will look at me like I'm some sort of freak..."</p><p>"You aren't a freak Jim." Claire told him firmly.</p><p>"Whoever this Angor Rot is has done this assissin thing way longer than I've been the Trollhunter, what if I can't beat him?"</p><p>Claire hugged him at this point. "You don't have to face him alone, you have us...especially me."</p><p>She traced the yellow lines, this time Jim didn't flinch.</p><p>Jim stared down at his hands. "I feel like a dead man Claire."</p><p>"You aren't."</p><p>He let out an exasperated sigh. "You heard what Blinky said, I'm marked for a fate far worse than death, and apparently no past trollhunter was able to escape it."</p><p>"We won't let it happen to you."</p><p>Jim took Claire's hands in his. "When it comes for us to be face to face with him again, I need you to promise me that even if I'm suffering that you won't interfer."</p><p>"Jim!" "I can't..."</p><p>"We both know that this is something bigger than what any of us had to face before, and I can't have you getting hurt because of me."</p><p>"Promise me Claire."</p><p>She shook her head and kissed him.</p><p>Surprised for a second he took it in stride as the kiss ended.</p><p>"Jim, we are in this together 100%, whether it against Gunmar, rescuing my brother or fighting Angor Rot, I am not leaving your side."</p><p>"Thank you Claire, seriously."</p><p>"Of course," She kissed his cheek. "Now come to my bathroom, we have to see if pale is the right shade for you."</p><p>Jim chuckled and happily took Claire's hand.</p>
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